No More Lies
by DaggersOfEmotion
Summary: Sirius Black hates lies, but what happens when he's the one who tells the lie? And what could it cost him?


_**No More Lies**_

"Sirius, tell me what's wrong," Dahlia asked, seeing as he was clearly upset. He was being blunt and withdrawn with his friends– with her– and she wouldn't let him suffer alone.

"It's my uncle. He's sick– he's got months at best– and–" Sirius finally met her eyes and saw something in them he wished he hadn't. "How long?"

"Since Tuesday– It was an accident– I promised– Sirius, please," he was walking away, now. With clenched fists, Sirius tried to put as much distance between them as he could. First Uncle Alphard lied to him, now Dahlia? Did he just have a face that made people want to betray him or something? He thought he might prefer it– just cut everyone out– no one would lie to him then. He'd always know exactly where he stood. But alas, it seemed that was not in the cards. "Don't shut us out when you need us most," Dahlia said, running ahead to stop in front of him. "I won't let you, Sirius. I won't let you suffer alone. Even if you never speak to me again–"

Sirius stopped when she'd gone in front of him and stood still for a moment. The air was so still he was sure Dahlia was holding her breath. "No more lies," he said, though the intonation implied it was an offer– a promise– hanging thick in the air.

"No more lies," Dahlia replied with a steady voice. With that, Sirius' shoulders slumped and fell into her embrace. She stroked his silky black hair comfortingly as she felt his tears soak her shirt.

_No more lies._

"Is it done, then?" Dahlia asked when Sirius returned from Godric's Hollow. She had been anxiously awaiting his return from setting the Fidelius Charm on the house where the Potters would be hiding.

The caster of the charm would become the Secret Keeper and therefore a target. Sirius had the radical idea of changing to Peter for Secret Keeper, thinking he would be overlooked by the Death Eaters while Sirius would be the obvious choice and explained why he thought the bluff was the better option. James thought it was brilliant– like they were outplaying Voldemort. Lily agreed to the change on the promise that they didn't tell anyone. Tensions were running high– as was fear– and keeping the number of people who knew down to a minimum was sensible. The charm was cast and Sirius the would-be-secret-keeper returned to his and Dahlia's flat. It was well-hidden by the protective charms Dahlia had put on it to keep them from being hunted down by Voldemort. The Death Eaters would go mad trying to find him there, buying them time until they could take down more of his army, which was, at present, quite overpowering. The only problem was, he was trapped in a flat with his girlfriend whom he had promised to keep the change of plans from. He had to be the Secret Keeper, even if Peter was the proper one, because it was his duty to the Potters. He had to keep up appearances. Even from her. Even if it cost him. Because, above all else, Prongs and his family had to be protected.

"Yeah," Sirius replied, "it's done."

_No more lies._

There was nothing he could say. Well, there was plenty he could say– he could tell her the truth– and he might have. Honestly, he couldn't remember what had been said. The feeling of having lost everything– the image of James' vacant eyes– the touch of Lily's cold skin– of Dahlia's face when she'd found him there, standing over the lifeless bodies of their best friends. He could still feel the pressure from her wand on his neck, the tears in her freckled eyes, the shake in her hand. He wished she'd done it– wished she'd just ended it there– after what he'd done. It was his idea, after all, and he'd convinced them to go along with it. How foolish he'd been to think he could outwit Voldemort– how foolish he'd been to keep it from Dahlia, who might have stopped them from going through with it. Might have put up additional protections. Might have… might have…

Instead, she was giving him the look she'd given him in fifth year– a look he'd hoped to never see again– a look not of anger for what he'd done, but disappointment. She withdrew her wand and turned away, not because she'd forgiven him, but to cast a patronus to deliver a message. He said something to her then, though he couldn't remember what, but it didn't seem to have an impact on her. She knelt beside Lily and closed her eyes before rising to pull a crying Harry from his crib.

"No more lies."


End file.
